


Fossilized Interactions

by sugarblossom



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Fluffish, Gen, Possibly OOC, probably weird to read b/c i'm tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:35:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26543035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/pseuds/sugarblossom
Summary: Even when Ash and Gary catch up, it's as if they truly hadn't lost any time together.
Relationships: Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak & Ookido Shigeru no Blacky | Gary Oak's Umbreon, Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi no Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu
Comments: 7
Kudos: 77





	Fossilized Interactions

The sunshine barely seeped through the interconnected webs of leaves above, leaving the dirt crumbly and cold.

Ash placed his hands behind his head, humming as he glanced around the area. 

It was so hazy with fog that he would have gotten lost already. If he wasn’t so familiar with this patch of forest by now, that is.

Thinking back to his Alolan family, Ash absentmindedly petted Pikachu’s head. 

Pikachu perked up when muffled arguments zipped through the air. 

Ash and Pikachu exchanged a glance, watching a distant yellow ring blur in and out. 

The voices crystallized, the arguments sharpened. 

Brushing across a few branches, Ash locked eyes with an old friend. 

“Gary?”

Gary snapped his jaw shut with a click. 

The person opposite him shook their head, murmuring, “Speak of the devil.”

Pikachu and Umbreon stared at them.

Uncrossing his arms, Gary glared at them before facing a sweatdropping Ash. “What’s up?”

“‘What’s up’? I haven’t seen you since, what, Sinnoh?” Ash said, greeting Umbreon with a little wave before glancing over Gary’s coworkers. “What are you all doing here?” 

“Researching evolutionary changes of different regional forms, don’t you understand?” the person previously arguing with Gary said, causing everyone to freeze. 

Gary deadpanned at them.

Ash and Pikachu blinked as a twinge of guilt flashed in Gary’s expression. Umbreon cleaned their ears, trotting around Ash.

“Oh. That’s cool.” Ash pointed in one direction before tickling under Pikachu’s chin. “I was just gonna get some malasadas. Coming?”

All Ash felt coming was a barrage of banters.

“Food is all you ever think about, huh?” Gary joked. His coworkers all stared at him, jawdropping. “I don’t trust your sense of direction, Ash-”

“So why should we trust him?”

Gary twitched. 

Ash shrugged. “If  _ you  _ don’t want my help, that’s on you.” He let Pikachu down next to Umbreon, grinning at Gary. “Have you  _ tried  _ the food here?”

As Ash led them on a tour around the region, from the market to the home of an exasperated Professor Kukui, he and Gary bantered all the way there. 

“No, I was too busy researching. Have you finally gotten stronger, Ashyboy? Finally caught up to me?”

“You  _ know _ I have! Literally!”

“Why would I ever want to keep tabs on such an amateur like you?”

“The amateur who beat you in our only full battle!”

“Yeah?” Gary yelled, startling all of his coworkers. “Want me to prove otherwise?”

“You can  _ try _ !” Sparks skidded around them like street lights beaming across wet asphalt, a mutual collection of competition, admiration, trust, smugness-

Everyone sweatdropped when Ash’s stomach grumbled. 

Ash sheepishly grinned, inhaling his third malasada. “After I get some more malasadas!” Pikachu chirped in agreement, pointing out the door and gesturing to Umbreon.

“Someone’s gotta keep you from getting in trouble,” Gary said, marching out the door before Ash could. 

Umbreon cooed, darting after Gary.

Pikachu climbed onto Ash’s shoulder as Ash raced after Gary, eyebrows furrowed. 

“...Do you want me to buy you a malasada too?”

“I can pay for my own food, thank you very much,” Gary half-joked, half-grumbled. Umbreon rolled their eyes.

Ash dragged his feet against the beach sand, tilting his head. “Are you ok?”

Gary side-eyed Ash as if he was confused why Ash was asking  _ him  _ that. He shielded his eyes when staring over the twinkling ocean. 

The waves lapped near their shoes, sinking into the sand as if the entire beach was a sponge.

Pikachu and Umbreon both stared up at Ash. 

“Is this about your research?” Ash twirled across the sand. “There are always new things to discover! Never give up ‘til it’s over! I recently learned there’s a Galar region, and I’m sure you’ll stumble across some really rare and cool pokemon-”

“Like your pokemon team?”

“You know about- Well, of course my pokemon are special! I was more thinking of… you sticking around, seeing if a legendary pops up,” Ash reluctantly said, hugging Pikachu closer. “Not sure if that would help either of us though.” Umbreon chirped, swatting at Ash’s shoes.

Gary stared at him, silent. 

“...Now that I think about it, when’s the last time we’ve seen fossil pokemon and legendaries together?”

Pikachu glanced off, cooing. Umbreon fell silent.

“Genesect? I guess, but isn’t there one where both are separate and present-” Ash snapped his fingers. “Altomare! Remember the temporarily resurrected Aerodactyl and Kabutops, Pikachu?” He awkwardly laughed, and Pikachu’s ears wilted. “And then Latios just…”

Gary cut in, “I get it, but please.” He shot Ash a worried look before moving on.

Ash’s eyes widened for a moment. “Oh. Yeah.” He fell in line with Gary’s steps, diverting, “So… how’s the research going? Found another Fossil Rush?”

Umbreon tilted their head, and Pikachu rolled his eyes.

“ _ ‘Another _ ’?”

Ash rolled his wrist, letting Pikachu and Umbreon run around the beach. “You know, Grampa Canyon? The fossil pokemon? My Charizard evolved?”

“The time where you almost died because of a living Aerodactyl?”

“That too!” 

Pikachu and Umbreon sweatdropped.

Gary blinked before stifling a weak laugh. “Oh yes, of course. Very motivational.” He sighed, tilting his head. “Want me to pay for-”

“Excuse me, I already forgave you.”

“Oh my Mew-”

Ash faced Gary, eyes fiery with determination. “You still have your half pokeball, right?”

Their pokemon exchanged a glance and smile.

Gary blinked. “Why, of course not.”

“You hesitated.”

“I did  _ not _ .” Ash placed his hands on his hips, sporting a serious look. “...What about it?”

“It’s proof of what we’ve gone through.”

“But-”

Ash grinned. “Despite everything, you’re still here. Congrats.”

“It was always your specialty,” Gary countered with a smile. “Despite everything,  _ you  _ still made it.”

“What?”

“The league. Why would I congratulate you on  _ anything else _ ?” Gary sarcastically said, chuckling when Umbreon rubbed against his leg, purring.

“Even so, don’t tell me you came because-”

Gary shoved Ash, bursting out in laughter as Pikachu launched himself at him. 

Their banters were as old as fossils and as set in stone as change itself.

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyyy how's everyone doing? I hope well, if not alright! 
> 
> ngl school is currently a mess over here, so if I completely drop my writing schedule in the next month or so, I'm sorry.


End file.
